Safety clothing

ABSTRACT

A modified article of clothing resulting from a substitution of a ligature with which the original article has been equipped, the ligature configured to tighten the article on a body of a wearer. The modified article includes an end having an annular edge divided by a midline, and members of a fastener attached to an exterior surface proximal to the annular edge, with one member of the fastener being attached to a first side of the midline and a mating member being attached to a second side of the midline. The individual members of the fastener are configured not exceed 6 inches in length so as to prevent the use of same as a ligature.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from the U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/850,403 fled on May 20, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The current invention relates generally to an article of clothing that includes fit- adjusting fastener(s) and, in particular, to modification of the available clothing articles to those with one or more fit-adjusting fasteners that mitigate self-induced harm or endangering others during the process of using such fasteners.

RELATED ART

So-called “safety garments” include anti-suicide and anti-weapon smocks or gowns and generally are used to prevent a hospitalized, incarcerated, institutionalized, or otherwise at-risk individual from forming a noose (with and/or from the garment) to commit suicide and/or from using the garment or portions thereof as a weapon. The smock is typically a simple, sturdily quilted, collarless, sleeveless gown with adjustable openings at the shoulders and down the front that are closed with nylon hook-and-loop or similar fasteners.

However, for cost and other reasons, garments that fit around the waist (such as shorts, underwear, and pants, for example) or even those fitting around the neck continue to be used with some of such at-risk individuals, as well as in other clinical (e.g., drug rehabilitation) and detention settings where the potential for self-harm and harm to others exists.

Waist-fitting garments that contain fit-adjusting fasteners, such as belts and waistband elastic-and-button systems, present a risk of use as a ligature for binding another person or for strangulation. Moreover, integrated elastic bands or drawstrings of more than several inches can be removed and used as a ligature, or tie, or cord.

A need therefore exists for the process of improvement of safety of existing clothing, which improvement, on one hand, provides a customizable level of fit yet ensures mitigation and/or prevention of use of an integrated fit-adjusting fastener for strangulation and/or inducing some other forms of harm to a person.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the invention provide a method for transforming an article of clothing having a ligature that is configured to tighten the article on a body of a wearer to keep the article thereon. The method includes steps of removing the ligature from the article to vacate an annular edge of the article (with which the ligature has been associated) to prevent a user from using the ligature to cause harm to a person. (Here, the ligature has a length sufficient to be wrapped around a neck of a person, for example, and in a specific case has a length exceeding 6 inches). The method further includes a step of individually attaching multiple members of a pre-determined variety fastener to an exterior surface of the article proximal to the annular edge to form a modified article of clothing. Here, one member of the fastener is attached to a first side with respect to the midline and a respectively-corresponding mating member is attached to a second side with respect to the midline. Generally, the members of the fastener are configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length. Depending on the implementation, the method satisfies at least one of the following conditions: a) the step of removing includes removing the ligature from the article with the annular edge that is spatially-continuous and free of a fly or an opening therethrough; b) the step of removing includes removing the ligature from the article comprising a waist-fitting garment; c) the step of said individually attaching includes attaching to or integrating with the annular edge an elastic material that is about 1 inch to about 6 inches long; d) the step of individually attaching includes attaching to or integrating or coupling with the annular edge a tab of material on the first side of the midline (here, the tab of material has a first member of the fastener attached thereto and is configured to fasten with a second mating-member attached to the second side of the midline; and e) the step of individually attaching includes attaching a hook-and-loop fastener.

Embodiments of the invention additionally provide an article of clothing that includes an end having an annular edge, the annular edge divided by a midline, and members of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to an exterior surface proximal to the annular edge, with one member of the hook-and-loop fastener being attached to a first side of the midline and a mating member being attached to a second side of the midline. In exemplary embodiments, the members of the hook-and-loop fastener are configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length so as to mitigate use as a ligature. Alternatively or in addition, embodiments of the invention provide an article of clothing that includes a waist-fitting garment with an annular edge at a waist-fitting end (the annular edge divided by a midline), a tab of material coupled to the annular edge on the first side of the midline (here, the tab of material include or is a first member of a hook-and-loop fastener), a second mating member of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to a second side of the midline. Each member of the hook-and-loop fastener in this embodiment is configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by referring to the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the generally not-to scale Drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of the invention; resulting from the modification of an original article of clothing

FIG. 2 is a top view of a related embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of yet another related embodiment showing the tab of material in a fastened position;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a top view of a related embodiment of the invention.

Generally, the sizes and relative scales of elements in Drawings may be set to be different from actual ones to appropriately facilitate simplicity, clarity, and understanding of the Drawings. For the same reason, not all elements present in one Drawing may necessarily be shown in another.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various articles of clothing having an edge or waist-band or neck-band or sleeve that is equipped with a spatially-continuous and extended element configured to secure the article of clothing on the wearer's body (such as a belt, rope, cord, string, elastic band, scarf, or tie—to name just a few—all inclusively referred to herein as ligature) can be easily decomposed or taken apart to remove such extended element, which later can be used to cause harm to a person. This problem is solved by embodiments of the invention, according to at least some of which the existing articles of clothing containing such spatially-continuous and extended elements (ligatures) are judiciously modified to ensure that the modified article—while not possessing the extended element or ligature anymore—is still configured to be secured on the wearer's body.

FIG. 1 illustrates an article of clothing 1, shown with an end defined by an annular edge 2, which resulted from the modification of the original article of clothing equipped with the belt. (The article 1 may be a pair of pants—in which case the edge 2 represents the waist0-band, for example, or a neck-portion of a shirt). Midline 3 is drawn to approximately bisect the annular edge 2. Members of a hook-and-loop fastener (4 and 6, shown in this example as pieces of Velcro, or combination of buttons and button-loops) are attached to an exterior surface peripherally and proximally to the annular edge 2, with each of the first members (4) of the hook-and-loop fastener attached on a first side 5 of the article 1, as defined with respect to the midline 3, and respectively-corresponding mating members 6 of the hook-and-loop fastener attached on and to a second side 7 of the midline 3. In this view, the article of clothing 1 is shown to be in the open or unfastened position. To adjust the fit of the article of clothing around the user's body, one or more of fastener members 4 may be folded over to one or more of mating fastener members 6 to thereby reduce the circumference of the opening defined by the annular edge 2.

Given that circumference of a neck of a person typically ranges from about 8 to about 20 inches, and to provide improved safety against use of the fasteners as a tool of harm (e.g., as a ligature), the members of the hook-and-loop fastener are configured on the annular edge to be discontinuous—that is, spatially distinct and separated from one another—and between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length each. Keeping the length of a member within these parameters can also make it more time consuming and difficult to concatenate or otherwise assemble a plurality of fasteners for use in binding, strangulation, and the like.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, a specific embodiment of the article of clothing 1 may be a waist-fitting garment (e.g., pants or scrubs bottoms) that features an annular edge (waist-band) that is spatially-continual and free of a fly or other type of opening. Additionally, the garment may include an elastic material (such as elastic ribbon 8) that is attached to, or integrated with, the annular edge 2, with the elastic material preferably being about 1 inch to about 6 inches long. By including both fasteners and an elastic material, better waist fitting can be attained, and a “one size fits all” garment can be achieved. Thus, costs may be lowered over having to manufacture and stock multiple sizes.

In some embodiments, the article of clothing is paper-based (instead of being cloth-based) and, therefore, disposable. Many paper-based garments are known in the art and typically are made from cellulose-derived materials. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limited to a particular paper-based composition.

Turing to FIG. 2, a related embodiment is shown that also resulted from the modification of the original article of clothing by substituting the belt with an alternative securing fasteners. The waist-fitting end of this embodiment is defined by having an annular edge 11 with a strap of material 12 coupled to the edge 11. Notably, the length of the strap 12 is not sufficient to cause harm to an individual with this strap. The article of clothing is divided by a midline 13, such that strap 12 with hook-and-loop fasteners 14 and are attached on a first side 15 of the midline 13, while mating members 18 of the hook-and-loop fastener are attached to a second side 16 of the midline. In this view, the tab 12 is in the open or unfastened position. To adjust the fit of the article of clothing, the tab 12 may be folded over to mate fasteners 14 with fasteners 18. The article of clothing of claim 1, further including a tab of material coupled to the annular edge on the first side of the midline, said tab of material having a first member of a hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto and configured to fasten with a second mating-member attached to the second side of the midline. As with the fasteners 4, 6 in FIG. 1, the hook-and-loop fastener on the tab of material may be configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length.

As depicted in FIG. 3, the tab of material may simply be a strip of a hook or a loop member of a hood-and-loop fastener. In this view, the strap or tab 12 of the article of clothing 10 is shown in the closed or fastened position. To adjust the fit of the clothing by enlarging the annular edge, the tab is unfastened from a mating member (not seen in this view) and moved to a different position on the same mating member or a different mating member (if the mating members are configured as in, e.g., FIG. 1).

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the modified-from-the-original-design clothing article 20 may include one member 22 of a hook-and-loop fastener on tab 23, a pair of mating fastener members 26, which are all disposed proximal to the annular edge 25. In some embodiments, a two or more sections of elastic material 28 are included on or in the annular edge 25.

FIG. 5 illustrates yet another embodiment of the invention featuring the result 30 of modification of the original article of clothing with fasteners 34 on one side of the annular edge and one continuous strip of a mating fastener 38 on the other side of a midline.

The term “about,” as used herein, refers to variation in the numerical quantity that may occur, for example, through typical measuring and manufacturing procedures used for articles of clothing or other articles of manufacture that may include embodiments of the disclosure herein; through inadvertent error in these procedures; or through differences in the manufacture, source, or composition of the articles of clothing. Throughout the disclosure, the term “about” refers to a range of values that are +/−10% of the stated value in inches (or its metric equivalent).

References throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “a related embodiment,” or similar language mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the referred to “embodiment” is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. It is to be understood that no portion of disclosure, taken on its own and in possible connection with a figure, is intended to provide a complete description of all features of the invention.

In addition, it is to be understood that no single drawing is intended to support a complete description of all features of the invention. In other words, a given drawing is generally descriptive of only some, and generally not all, features of the invention. A given drawing and an associated portion of the disclosure containing a description referencing such drawing do not, generally, contain all elements of a particular view or all features that can be presented is this view, for purposes of simplifying the given drawing and discussion, and to direct the discussion to particular elements that are featured in this drawing. A skilled artisan will recognize that the invention may possibly be practiced without one or more of the specific features, elements, components, structures, details, or characteristics, or with the use of other methods, components, materials, and so forth. Therefore, although a particular detail of an embodiment of the invention may not be necessarily shown in each and every drawing describing such embodiment, the presence of this detail in the drawing may be implied unless the context of the description requires otherwise. In other instances, well known structures, details, materials, or operations may be not shown in a given drawing or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of an embodiment of the invention that are being discussed. Furthermore, the described single features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more further embodiments.

Any of the embodiments described herein may be modified to include any of the structures or methodologies disclosed in connection with different embodiments. For example, the members of the fasteners used to substitute the ligature of the original article of clothing—both structurally and functionally—can be chosen from the fasteners of a hook-and-loop variety (which includes traditional buttons) or from another type of spatially-distinct fasteners. Further, the present disclosure is not limited to articles of clothing of the type specifically shown. Still further, aspects of the articles of clothing of any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be modified to work with any type of clothing, apparel, or other athletic equipment. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for transforming an article of clothing having a ligature that is configured to tighten the article on a body of a wearer to keep the article thereon, the method comprising: removing the ligature from the article to vacate an annular edge of the article with which the cord has been associated to prevent a user from utilizing said ligature, said ligature having a length sufficient to be wrapped around a neck of a person; and individually attaching multiple members of a pre-determined variety fastener to an exterior surface of the article proximal to the annular edge to form a modified article of clothing, wherein one member of the fastener is attached to a first side with respect to the midline and a respectively-corresponding mating member is attached to a second side with respect to the midline, wherein the members of the fastener are configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the removing includes removing the ligature with a length exceeding 6 inches.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: a) said removing includes removing the ligature from the article with the annular edge that is spatially-continuous and free of a fly or an opening therethrough; b) said removing includes removing the ligature from the article comprising a waist-fitting garment; c) said individually attaching includes attaching to or integrating with the annular edge an elastic material that is about 1 inch to about 6 inches long; d) said individually attaching includes attaching to or integrating or coupling with the annular edge a tab of material on the first side of the midline, said tab of material having a first member of the fastener attached thereto and configured to fasten with a second mating-member attached to the second side of the midline; e) said individually attaching includes attaching a hook-and-loop fastener.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: i) the waist-fitting garment is a selected one from the group consisting of pants, shorts, skirts, skirts, undergarments, and short pants; and ii) wherein the tab of material is about 1 inch to about 6 inches in length.
 5. An article of clothing, comprising: an end having an annular edge, the annular edge divided by a midline; and multiple members of a pre-determined variety fastener attached to an exterior surface of the article proximal to the annular edge, wherein one member of the fastener is attached to a first side with respect to the midline and a respectively-corresponding mating member is attached to a second side with respect to the midline, and wherein the members of the fastener are configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length.
 6. The article of clothing according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: a) the annular edge is spatially-continuous and free of a fly or an opening therethrough; b) said article of clothing comprises a waist-fitting garment; c) the article further comprises an elastic material attached to or integrated with the annular edge, said elastic material being about 1 inch to about 6 inches long; d) the article further includes a tab of material coupled to the annular edge on the first side of the midline, said tab of material having a first member of a fastener attached thereto and configured to fasten with a second mating-member attached to the second side of the midline; e) the fastener includes a hook-and-loop fastener.
 7. The article of clothing according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: i) the waist-fitting garment is a selected from the group consisting of pants, shorts, skirts, skirts, undergarments, and short pants; ii) wherein the fastener on the tab of material is configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length; and iii) wherein the tab of material is about 1 inch to about 6 inches in length.
 8. The article of clothing of claim 4, wherein the waist-fitting garment is paper-based.
 9. An article of clothing, comprising: a waist-fitting garment with an annular edge at a waist-fitting end, the annular edge divided by a midline; and a plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners attached to an exterior surface along the annular edge discontinuously with respect to one another, wherein each of a first member of the plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners is attached to a first side of the midline and each of a second mating member of the plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners is attached to a second side of the midline, and wherein each of the members of the hook-and-loop fasteners are configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length.
 10. The article of clothing of claim 9, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: a) the annular edge is spatially-continuous and free of a fly or an opening; b) wherein the waist-fitting garment is a selected from the group consisting of pants, shorts, skorts, skirts, undergarments, and short pants; c) wherein the article of clothing is paper-based; d) wherein an elastic material is attached or integrated with the annular edge, said elastic material being about 1 inch to about 6 inches long;
 11. The article of clothing of claim 9, further including a tab of material coupled to the annular edge on the first side of the midline, said tab of material comprising an additional first member of a hook-and-loop fastener attached thereto and configured to fasten with any of a second mating member of the plurality of hook-and-loop fasteners attached to the second side of the midline.
 12. The article of clothing of claim 11, wherein at least one of the following conditions is satisfied: i) the hook-and-loop fastener on the tab of material is configured to be between about 0.5 inch to about 6 inches in length; ii) the tab of material is about 1 inch to about 6 inches in length; and iii) the article is devoid of a ligature with a length exceeding 6 inches. 